Rising Stars of Separation Science: Varoon Singh

The Column interviewed Varoon Singh from the National Dope Testing Laboratory in India, about his work in sample preparation using chromatography with mass spectrometry (MS), and the development of novel materials for analytical applications.

Papers Mentioned in Video

1. Rickert, D. A.; Singh, V.; Thirukumaran, M.; et al. Comprehensive Analysis of Multiresidue Pesticides from Process Water Obtained from Wastewater Treatment Facilities Using Solid-Phase Microextraction. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2020, 54, 15789–15799. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04875
2. Singh, V.; Purohit, A. K.; Chinthakindi, S.; et al. Analysis of Chemical Warfare Agents in Organic Liquid Samples with Magnetic Dispersive Solid Phase Extraction and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Journal of Chromatography A 2016, 1448, 32–41. DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2016.04.058
3. Chen, L.; Singh, V.; Rickert, D.; Khaled, A.; Pawliszyn, J. High Throughput Determination of Free Biogenic Monoamines and Their Metabolites in Urine Using Thin-Film Solid Phase Microextraction. Talanta 2021, 232, 122438. DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122438

Varoon Singh holds a Ph.D. in chemical science (analytical chemistry) from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. He received his B.Sc. in chemistry (2009) and M.Sc. in organic chemistry (2011) from the University of Pune. As a doctoral student, he worked under the supervision of Devendra Kumar Dubey, an outstanding scientist and former director of the Defence Research and Development Establishment in Gwalior, India. His thesis focused on the development of functionalized magnetic spheres for the extraction and enrichment of chemical weapons convention-related chemicals, and their identification through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and was supported by a research fellowship from the Defence Research and Development Organization. After completing his Ph.D., he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Waterloo in Canada, from 2017 to 2020.

During his tenure at the university he developed SPME coatings and applications in the environmental, food, and bioanalysis fields alongside Janusz Pawliszyn. In 2020–2021, he moved to Ghent University and worked on the development of devices for new-born screening using rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry with Lynn Vanhaecke. In 2022, he accepted a position as a senior scientist at the University of Vienna, where he conducted research with Gunda Koellensperger on the development of tools for single-cell analysis and their application in lipidomics. From January 2023, he accepted a scientist-B position at the National Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi. Throughout his career, he has made numerous contributions to the scientific community. He has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and invented four patentable methods for the processing of analytical samples. His Ph.D. work was included in the Recommended Operating Procedures from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for the analysis of chemical warfare agents. It was also highlighted by scientific news outlets. His research interests include sample preparation, material development, method development, 3D-printing, and instrumentation, with a focus on environmental and bioanalytical applications of coatings in various formats for off-site and on-site analysis.